(Video by Alyssa Richardson and John Faulkner)
Stephen Cooper and John Urschalitz
(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)
It wasn’t until Stephen Cooper had hit rock bottom that his life truly began. It was December 2010 and Stephen, a convicted felon with a serious drug addiction was ready to end his life with his favorite poison – methamphetamine.
“I was ready to end it all. I had a lot of meth that I wanted to inject and I would have committed suicide, but God, in his mercy, sent the cops,” said Cooper with a smile.
Twenty-six year old Stephen Cooper, a native of North Webster, was just a teenager when he began using drugs, beginning first with marijuana use and then later, the use and distribution of meth. Cooper’s addiction to meth lead him to a sordid history with Kosciusko County law enforcement, eventually landing him in jail.
“I had been incarcerated more times than I had ever been to church,” stated Cooper. “I had prayed to God for help and then it came, in the form of John Urschalitz.”
While in jail, Cooper’s father, who worked for the Urschalitz family at that time, had expressed concern for his son. After learning that Stephen was hoping to change his ways and become closer to God, Urschalitz felt compelled to reach out to the downtrodden young man and visited him in jail.
The two grew close and Cooper admits that, in many ways, Urschalitz and his family became mentors to him. Though over time Cooper would in many ways become an adopted member of the Urschalitz family, he admitted the feeling that he didn’t belong forced him back into his old ways.
“Coming from a dysfunctional environment, I felt uneasy around John, and so I basically ran away from John despite all he had done for me. I went back to my old environment and blew it. I blew it big time,” said Cooper sadly.
“When I came back (to drugs) I came back seven times worse. I probably lost 35 pounds in 3 weeks – I was a dead man walking.”
(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)
It was after his fall back into his old ways that Cooper decided to inject all the methamphetamine he had on hand to commit suicide. However, just before Cooper had time to carry out his plan, local law enforcement arrested him for possession of methamphetamine. Cooper received a $100,000 bond, forcing him to stay behind bars once again – a fact he is now thankful for.
Despite Cooper’s actions and estrangement from the Urschalitz family, John Urschalitz visited the young man once again.
“John came back,” stated Cooper. “I was so surprised. He wanted me to know he loved me, but he wasn’t happy with my decisions. John told me he was willing to pay $8,000 to send me to Teen Challenge. I had basically ran away from John and here he was, displaying the love of Christ offering forgiveness. I thought to myself, wow, I don’t know that I can even forgive myself but I just thank God for him and everything he has done.”
Teen Challenge is a Christian faith-based rehabilitation program that forces “students” to adhere to a busy schedule filled with study of the bible and worship. Though Cooper and Urschalitz had hopes that entering Cooper in the program could keep Cooper out of jail, his prior convictions caused Cooper’s plea to fall on deaf ears in the courtroom.
“I had high hopes,” explained Cooper, “ but I was told by the judge, ‘Stephen, I’m glad someone has faith in you, but I don’t. You’ve done so bad for so long, so often. I sentence you for 2 years in the Indiana department of corrections.’ I was inmate number 2131777 – in there I was a number, not a name.”
Though Cooper could have given up hope at that point, within two weeks of his release from jail, Cooper booked himself into a Teen Challenge program in Terre Haute. Though there were locations closer, both Cooper and Urschalitz had hopes that entering into a program farther away would yield better results.
Since Cooper’s stay in program, he has been completely drug free and stated that his life has changed tremendously.
“When I stepped foot beyond the razor wire fence of the jail, I had a strong sense I couldn’t do this on my own.” stated Cooper. “Teen challenge provided me with an environment that was structured, which I had lacked in the past allowing me to do whatever I wanted. It was here that, from the age of 16-23 any emotion I had to suppressed through drugs emerged. I was still thinking about using until I truly accepted Christ not just as my savior, but as lord of my life.
“Its crazy to look back now. I thought there was no way (I’d every quit using meth). But where there seems to be no way, God makes it. I am forever grateful for the people who have touched my life.”
Cooper shared this message for those struggling with the same addiction he had for several years.
“It is a far cry now who I am to who I use to be. I can enunciate a sentence with some eloquence, my mind has become sharper and I am physically, emotionally and spiritually better. You didn’t get in this position in one day so don’t expect to be fixed in one day. If God can do this in my life, he can assuredly do it in anyone’s. The path may not be glamorous, but it is possible. Change your friends and find someone you can be accountable to – kind of like a mentor. Someone like John Urschalitz.”